The Darker Side of Japan

I've had a thing for Japan for a few years now. Sometimes I keep thinking of it as this fun and happy place but I forget, just like any other country and every other person they have their fare share of problems too. I watched this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NcIGBKXMOE It's really sad, especially considering how harsh Japanese society can be. There are other videos like this one that shows the sides that we tend to forget about Japan during our infatuation with it. So what do you guys think?

Although I won't watch the video, I will put my two cents in on the matter in the form of something for you to look up: Japan occupying foreign countries during WWII. They did a bunch of controversial shit that has been covered up for the most part, thanks to none other than the Japanese government. Look it up.

I believe it is very important for everyone to realize the reality of countries such as Japan. The video you shared does exactly that. I've been very interested in Japanese culture since I was in high school. I was very lucky to go to Japan in 2008 upon graduation, where I was able to spend a week in Tokyo and a week in Kyoto. While I was there, I had seen the red light districts and impoverished, homeless people; certainly many of the things we see here in the United States The day after I left for Kyoto, a mass murder occurred in a market of downtown Tokyo where a man used a kitchen knife and a van to kill eight people. This is to say nothing of the high suicide rates of Japan. In fact there is a film with the original title of "The Forest" releasing this year about an actual forrest named Aokigahara or 'the suicide forest' near Mt. Fuji where many people actually go to kill themselves. A popular alternative is crudely known as - death by bullet train. I needn't entertain that explanation. So you see, Japan does indeed have its fair share of issues that need ironing out, like any place in the world. However there were many things I had seen and experienced while in Japan that severely outweighed the negatives poised by it's own society or those who skew the facts from afar. The culture is wonderful coming from a Western society. The people themselves are more often than not, very polite and friendly and not because I was a visiting American. I observed this everywhere I went. Bikes on bike racks had no bike locks simply because the idea of thievery never crosses ones mind as the repercussions of such a crime are very severe. The fee for littering, regardless of your affiliation with Japan, is $5,000. So naturally Tokyo was the cleanest city I will ever set foot in on this planet. Of course being such a small nation, such precautions are necessary. Should I ever have an opportunity to live in Japan, if it were offered in relations to a job, I wouldn't hesitate moving there. Thank you for the post Idrewguy. I am a fan of informative discussions! :)

@McHalitosis Aside from the many black pits of misinformation the internet has to offer on anything, I wouldn't advise anyone to look up such a topic expecting to get a fresh drink of water. I trust you have read material concerning the subject? Indeed you are not wrong by saying they did but I would hope you would have offered an example. The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang or even Flyboys by James Bradley detail much of what you are referring to as controversial.

I had the honor of going to Japan myself this past October. The atmosphere there is so different. I had to go there with a clear mind and not be influenced by what I read or heard. As you say, the positives outweigh the negatives which is why I was so happy go lucky while there. I also ran into a few homeless there as well and it came as shock. Not a big one because I knew they had them but I assumed they were rare sight. It's common sense that Japan will have problems just as any other country but they don't show it, so it seems like it doesn't even exist. That "Save Face" is certainly something that is very prevalent there. I have also seen some of these girls who hand out the flyers. I was very curious about what they were thinking. "They have to hate their job".

listen, America owns japan, its obviously america thats up to something with japan. america took 1/2 of japans land/power/economy away from japan in world war 2. since japan started the war with america, America is basically saying, "you declared war on us so its your fault your our slaves". America also is concerned about the population, ( world hunger and homeless people laying on the streets makes this even worse) the population is growing at an alarming rate, well think, what do you do when population is growing uncontrollably fast, kill the majority have the people, then, leave the rest slaves.

but since of all the rebellions going on in america, america had to resort to enslaving people and hiring people in GANGS to assassinate the population gradually more more.

Has a rather dim veiw of us in the U.S. doesn't he? You would have to explain to me with historically reliable sources exactly how the U.S. Still controlls 1/2 of Japan and its resources. We dont occupy most of the islands, save a sparing few naval based, we dont occupy the Philippines any more, they are their own country now, Hawaii chose to join the Union, of their own accord, and last time I checked, Japan is neither paying war reparations to the U.S. Or offering part of her trade goods as tribute. Considering this, I dont think we have enslaves Japan at all.